Scott A. Beyer. is a journalist and consultant, and owner of the Market Urbanism Report, a think tank that advocates for free-market city policy.
Scott is currently on a 1.5-year-long trip to document how Market Urbanism can apply to developing world cities in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Scott has just arrived in Africa after 6 months in Latin America.
Niklas and Scott talk about what's wrong with cities, how can we improve them and colorful insights from Scott's travels to existing and new cities in Latin America.
Cities in the USA are suffering from institutional sclerosis and favoritism when it comes to housing and transportation policy. What's the predominant cause for rising housing prices and shortages is land-use zoning regulations.
It's one of the core policy sins of city development in the USA. It makes land development a process driven by often intransigent local politics and NIMBYism (not-in-my-backyard). This policy favors the status quo over dynamic change.
Scott has grown frustrated with US city politics.
As an investor looking for new areas to invest in, and as a free market thinker he is now looking toward developing countries for better opportunities.
This sounds counterintuitive.
Don't migration flows go from developing to developed countries in search for better opportunities? Scott and Niklas both have discovered a contrarian insight: cities in Latin America are cheaper, more pleasant and safe than commonly assumed.
Places like Mexico City, Rio, Santiago, Medellin or Buenos Aires are bustling with life and opportunity, rich cultural experiences and wonderful people.
Also, Latin America harbors some of the most forward-thinking new city developments in the world, such as Prospera and Cuidad Morazan in Honduras.
Scott is continuing his trip to Africa - and we're looking forward to re-interview him in 6 months about his next wave of colorful insights into city development.
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